Finding Life After
by VGWrighte
Summary: The Goa'uld destroyed Earth and only a handful of humans escaped. Sam/Jack fluffy story. Completed.
1. Chapter 1

Finding Life After

Chapter One

Based on Stargate: SG-1

Set in an abstract in-between alternate universe season.

- . - - - . -

Sam finally made her way to her newly assigned tent. In the confusion of simply getting people through the 'gate, no one had set up quarter assignments, patrol shifts, or even set up a mess schedule. Well, first things were first, they took roll and figured out exactly who had made it and who hadn't.

Colonel O'Neill had been the last one through the 'gate, detonating the base self destruct as he did. Everyone from the base had been evacuated through the 'gate, as had several others - scientists, personnel from NORAD, hell they even had a few sailors show up somehow. So, they took roll.

They did it the old fashioned way: set up fireteams, squads, platoons, and companies. There wasn't even enough for a respectable battalion, but they had four (somewhat small) companies, almost 500 people. That was nothing to be ashamed of. But considering the population of Earth had been some six and a half billion . . . They were chump change and they knew it.

Sam split everyone up by association. All the scientists were in a company, Marines were another (along with the handful of sailors she still wasn't sure where they came from), a company of soldiers that had been traveling through and diverted to Peterson during the attack, and two companies of airmen. Leadership was assigned, if only to keep track of everyone.

Immediately they set up patrols. She wanted to make sure that they could get settled before concerning herself with it again, so she just assigned the Marines to handle it. Colonel Reynolds had been left behind. Major Tomlin, his replacement, assured her that they could handle it. _"Patrol is something we do well, Ma'am"_ he assured her.

They set up an alarm system immediately, and had full time security on the 'gate. That job fell to Bravo Company, the second company of airmen. Tomlin agreed that perimeter patrol and 'gate security should be separate, but equally important things. Colonel Dixon wasn't in any position to take control of anything, having lost his wife and four children and still in shock. Captain Hayes took control of Bravo Company and the 'gate.

She worked up a mess staff and they were making sure that there were at least enough MREs for everyone for a few days. For the meantime, they were also the only functioning supply department. Enough shelters were built, at least for now, but she knew that more permanent arrangements would have to be made.

All that could wait. She just needed a minute. Her home planet had been all but annihilated and she needed a second to breathe. Everyone was at least a little rattled, and some were in complete shock, so everything really had fallen to her.

_"If I don't show up, you're in charge,"_ Colonel O'Neill had told her right before she stepped through the stargate. General Hammond had already made his decision and was coordinating a civilian police barricade on the surface to protect the mountain and give them enough time to escape.

She missed him already. George Hammond. She remembered him from when she was little. He had always been a big jolly man; a friend of her father's who showed up around holidays. At a very young age, she had been absolutely positive that he was Santa Clause, and that he shaved his beard when he wasn't at the North Pole to make sure no one recognized him.

And now he was a name that could easily be forgotten.

She needed a minute.

She needed to grieve.

Someone cleared their throat outside. She almost didn't answer. She almost screamed at them to leave her alone. Almost. "Come."

Colonel O'Neill walked inside.

She had never been so relieved to see him in her life. Without saying a word, he pulled her into his arms and held her tight. They clung to each other with the appropriateness of two people who had lost practically everything.

Sam wasn't really sure what was happening, except that she was kissing his neck, gently sucking on the skin. He quickly returned the kiss, moving back to trace up her jaw and their lips met. She drank as much comfort and solace from his lips as was possible, and then some.

She rummaged through his shirt, looking for skin. He obliged her by stripping the shirt over his head. She ran her hands over his skin, soothed by the contact. Everything melted away for a few seconds at a time. Every time the realization hit her again, she clutched at him a little tighter and extended their kiss just a little longer.

She couldn't get enough of the way he held her tightly, the way he had slid his hand up under her shirt and between her shoulder blades, the way he kissed her. She could tell he was trying to get something from her, soak something in, to banish a sense of loneliness. She felt the same way, needed the same thing, so she gave him everything she had.

- . -

It was morning, at least, almost. Sam was on her back on the floor with Jack resting partially on top of her, his head cradled between her breasts. They hadn't even attempted the cot, built barely large enough for one person. They had pulled the pillow to the floor and the classic standard military issue scratchier-than-scratchy drab gray wool blanket. Both of their feet stuck out of the bottom because it was a little short and bunched up in the middle.

He inhaled deeply, as if he was going to speak, but he was silent for a several seconds. "Sam," he started in an apologetic voice.

"I know," she cut him off. "You have to go find Daniel and Teal'c. I have to-"

"Stay here and take care of everyone, I know." He turned his face and placed a kiss on her breastbone.

Sam had a fleeting thought about how they got to this position - not _this position_ but_ this point in their lives_. The thought vanished when Jack pushing himself up above her. He lowered his head to hers, resting his forehead on hers.

"Sam . . ." he started again.

She put her fingers to his lips. "I know," she said to the statement he hadn't said, _I love you_. "Me too."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah."

Jack kissed her before pushing off and starting to get dressed. She also dressed. They faced each other before facing the world. He snaked his hand across her jaw and behind her neck, pulling her into a kiss. She fingered the hair at the back of his neck and clutched his shirt gently.

The kiss ended slowly and they pulled apart, straightening their clothes and stepping out to the rest of the camp. They had a short breakfast with Major Tomlin, Colonel Dixon, Captain Hayes and Janet, and explaining to them that he was leaving and Sam would be charge.

He packed up a few things and she had a conversation with a Technical Sergeant about building permanent shelters.

She met him at the stargate, dialing the Tok'ra. He had told her that he was hoping they would be able to give him a starting point, at the least. "Bring them back, Colonel," she said.

"Have a place for me to bring them back to," he quipped. He turned towards the 'gate.

"And, Colonel," she stopped him. "Godspeed."

- . - END CHAPTER ONE - . -


	2. Chapter 2

Finding Life After

Chapter Two

Based on Stargate: SG-1

- . - - - . -

_Ten weeks later_

Sam hadn't sleep last night. It had started getting cold at night, but that wasn't what was bothering her. She was late, very late. At first, honestly, she didn't notice. The days had somewhat run together and she had lost track of time. When Sam realized how much time had gone by, she just thought it was stress. Then she was lying to herself, telling herself it was just stress. But, it had been almost ten weeks since Jack left to find Daniel and Teal'c, since she and Jack had been together. It was too long to be stress. Resting her hand over her abdomen, she took a deep breath and entered the Infirmary tent.

"Good morning, Sam," Janet said with a smile.

"Morning."

"Are you alright?" Janet asked, immediately noticing her friend's demeanor.

"I need to you run a test for me."

Janet eyed her carefully.

"A pregnancy test."

Janet's mouth dropped open, but she closed it quickly. "Sam," she said, trying to think of words to follow. "Is it someone's here? Lost on Earth? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, and neither. I'll give you three guesses, but you're only going to need one."

Janet's eyes widened again as she realized. The three guesses were the other three humans not lost on Earth and not here: the members of SG-1, and the only guess she needed was Jack O'Neill. "When?"

"The first night we were here, before he left."

"Just the once?" she asked, realizing how stupid that sounded as soon as the question left her mouth.

"I guess they weren't lying when they said that's all it takes."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

Janet was a little surprised by Sam's answer. "I'm not really sure what I mean."

"It looks like I'm having a baby. I'm not going to try to keep it a secret, and there's no reason to lie about Jack being the father. I can't tell him because I have no idea where he is and have no idea where to start looking. When he gets back with Daniel and Teal'c, I'll tell him."

"Until then?"

"Until then, I have you, right?"

Janet rewarded her a small laugh and gave her a hug. "So, are we going to start telling everyone?"

"Doesn't matter if we tell them now or later. I'm going to be at the center of the rumor mill for months."

- . - _7 months Post-Earth_

Sam was exhausted. One hundred percent exhausted. Her feet ached. Her back hurt. She felt a headache coming on. She just wanted to sleep. Her cot was sounding less and less attractive as her pregnancy progressed. She was seriously considering just laying on the floor, hoping it would help.

She walked into her tent to find four men, Colonel Dixon among them, assembling a bed. A real live, wooden-framed double bed. With mattresses and everything.

"What's this?" she asked.

Dixon turned around. "It's a bed."

"Yes, I can see that. I thought we were going to finish the barracks before we started giving anyone real beds."

He nodded. "Yes, we did decide that. But I overrid that decision temporarily. Your back hurts and your feet are swollen."

She tried to argue the point, even though he was dead on.

"I remember my mother's pregnancy with my two youngest siblings and my wife was pregnant five times. Don't try to lie to me."

She didn't.

"Besides, Jack would have my head if I let you suffer in silence."

She smiled at the thought. That was certainly true. "You're right."

The others finished fitting the bed together and started with the sheets. In no time it was ready for her to sleep in. She thanked them on their way out. They said "you're welcome" and gave her simple smiles.

"If you need anything else, let me know," Dixon said.

"Thanks, Dave."

He smiled before he left. "You're welcome, Sam."

As soon as Dixon left, she sat down on the bed and then kicked up her feet, laying down.

Oh.

My.

God.

She had forgotten how good a real mattress could feel. Okay, so it wasn't what she was used to and she couldn't begin to guess what was actually in the mattress, but it was heavenly. She didn't even want to sit back up to take off her boots. Sam settled for lying for a few minutes before changing into something a little more comfortable and having the best night of sleep she had had since Jack was with her.

- . - _13 months Post-Earth_

Sam was on a scavenger hunt around base. She had started with Janet, who sent her to Sergeant Siler, who sent her to Lieutenant Johnson, who sent her to Corporal Whalen, who sent her to Doctor Stevens, who sent her to Doctor Lee.

Well, she couldn't find Doctor Lee. So, now she was wandering around the science department looking for him.

Why was she looking for him? Supposedly, he had her child.

This wasn't the first time this had happened. She left John with someone while she went to get some work done and they traded him off to someone else, who traded him to someone else, etc etc etc.

Ha! There he was. She saw him sitting in a chair in the shade, holding John. It looked like Bill was asleep, and John was touching Bill's beard. Sam smiled. John always seemed entranced by the men with facial hair. It was too cute.

"Bill," she said softly, trying not to wake him too violently.

He jumped, tightening his grip on John before he realized what was happening. "Oh, Sam. Hi."

"I think you have something that belongs to me."

"What?" He looked around for a second. "Oh!" He stood up, handing John to her.

She kissed his little nose and settled him on her hip. He immediately grabbed onto her shirt. "Thanks, Bill."

Bill smiled sadly. "Anytime."

Sam walked away, kissing her son's forehead, and combed back some of his whispy blonde hair. Everyone had left family members behind and many of them children. That was one reason they liked John so much, he was a reminder of what they had lost.

- . -_ 22 months Post-Earth_

Sam sat with John in her lap on her bed in their little tent with a book in her hand. It was children's book, the first published Post-Earth. One of the airmen, it turned out, was quite the artist, and one of the biologists wrote the story. They gave it to her when John was born. It was quickly followed by many others.

This particular book was about a family of turtles and their vacation to the beach. Like most children's books, she found it whimsical. John loved it. He loved it when she read to him and loved grabbing at all the pictures.

She paused when he took a particular interest in a drawing of the family; two big turtles - both anthropomorphic enough to be easily identified as male and female - and a little turtle. John continued to point at the male turtle and look at her in confusion. She realized he was old enough to realize what was going on. The turtle in the story had a father, but he did not.

She lifted him off her lap and made her way to her desk, waking up her computer. He toddled after her.

Sam pulled John into her lap and pressed the play button on the program she opened. He reached for the screen as the figures upon it moved. It was one of the old mission tapes Daniel had taken. It had been a nice, bright, sunny world. Overall, a pleasant mission, she remembered.

"Who?" John asked, looking at the unfamiliar people on the screen.

Sam paused on a reasonably good shot of Jack. "That's Daddy." She knew she was going to have to get at least one picture of him and put it in the tent they called home.

"Daddy?" he repeated, glancing up at her.

She kissed the top of his head. "Yes, sweetheart, that's your Daddy."

- . - - - . -


	3. Chapter 3

Finding Life After

Chapter Three

Based on Stargate: SG-1

I've written all John's lines plainly (except for the first), because I really couldn't write them phonetically, so just use your imagination.

- . - - - . - _33 months Post-Earth_

_"Colonel Carter to the stargate. Colonel Carter to the stargate."_

Sam looked up at the PA speaker, as if it was a person speaking to her.

"Mama, sta-gate. Mama, sta-gate," John parroted, looking up at her. She smiled at him.

"That's right, John." She squeezed his hand before picking him up and settling him on her hip. "Come on." They had been on their way to the mess hall for dinner, but it seemed as if it would have to wait. If the problem at the 'gate took too long, she'd ask someone to take John to dinner. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that.

When Sam arrived, the stargate was active, and defense teams were poised at the ready. She immediately regretted bringing John.

Sam quickly diverted into the small, protected building they had built around the DHD.

"What is it, Chief?"

Chief Harriman looked up at her. "We had an incoming wormhole a few minutes ago. We've been getting a signal, but no one has come through."

"What's the signal?" she asked, leaning over his shoulder to see him computer display. She shifted John on her hip and he clung a little tighter to her.

"The signal looks like it's coming from one of our GDOs, but it's not any valid code. It's just a series of numbers." He showed her the radio transmission.

"Which was?"

He hit a few controls and brought up the sequence. "Twelve, twenty nine, nineteen, and sixty eight."

Sam's heart skipped a beat. "Tell the teams to stand down, deactivate the pressure mines, and send a go ahead signal. Get Doctor Fraiser down here."

"Ma'am?"

She was already heading out of the room towards the 'gate. "December twenty ninth, nineteen sixty eight is my birthday. It's Colonel O'Neill." She stood at the bottom of the steps that lead to the 'gate, back about ten feet.

The event horizon shimmered and three men stepped through.

"Daddy!" John called out, recognizing Jack immediately. Sam was relieved that she exposed him to enough of Jack's image so that he could identify his own father.

All three men paused and stared at her. She wasn't quite sure what was most amazing: the fact that they were all finally together for the first time in two years, or the fact that she had a baby none of them knew about.

All three had what looked like a few days growth of facial hair. Teal'c had a scar across his forehead that ran into his primta, causing a noticeable gash. He had also had hair, which was more startling to her. Daniel had a cloth around his head, covering one eye. She wondered how long it had been that way, and if he would ever see normally again. Janet would take a look.

As for Jack, he looked alright; tired, but alright.

Sam finally found her voice. "Welcome home, SG-1."

They slowly walked towards her. Jack hung back almost a half step when they stopped in front of her.

Daniel threw his arms around her - and John - and hugged her tight. "It's good to see you again."

She hugged him back, with one arm. "I'm so glad you're okay."

He stepped back, giving Teal'c a turn. He embraced her as well. "Your presence warms my heart, Samantha Carter."

At first she didn't know how to react to that. Teal'c called her by her first name and was more than a little poetically sappy. "I missed you too, Teal'c," she finally settled on.

_"Oh my god!"_

Teal'c released Sam to see the commotion. It was Janet, obviously shocked to see the entirely of SG-1 for the first time in two years.

"Daniel! What happened to your eye?" Janet started poking around Daniel's head and motioned for one of the nurses to look at Teal'c. "Let's get you to the Infirmary." Janet paused and looked at Jack. "Sir, I'd like to look you over as well, when you have a moment."

He nodded, not taking his eyes off Sam.

"Daddy!" John exclaimed again, suddenly becoming very active. He wiggled in Sam's arms, almost jumping out of them.

Jack reached for him and held him tight, stepping close to Sam. "Hey, kiddo," he said softly.

"Daddy stay?" John asked.

Jack smiled softly. "Yeah. I'm gonna stay now." He put his other arm around Sam and pulled her tight. She wrapped both her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.

After a very short while, she felt little fingers on her face. She opened her eyes and smiled at John. "It's dinner time, isn't it?"

"Yeah," he replied.

"How about we go with Daddy to see the Doc and then we can all have dinner together? Does that sound good?"

"Yeah," John replied again. Sam left John in Jack's arms and led them both towards the Infirmary.

Daniel and Teal'c were sitting on two of the beds in the Infirmary when they arrived. Janet was still tending to Daniel. She had removed his bandana to reveal an ugly looking scar. His eye was multiple colors, none of the ones it should have been. The skin around his eye was grossly disfigured. It almost looked like he had been burned. Other than that, Daniel looked alright. Definitely thinner and leaner, but alright.

A nurse was checking Teal'c's vitals. He looked generally alright. Sam guessed that he gained some weight in muscle mass, if that was possible.

Jack sat down on one of the beds, waiting his turn. After about four seconds, John started to get restless. Sam reached into her cargo pocket and pulled out a 3D wooden puzzle someone had whittled for John and handed it to him. Her pockets always seemed to be filled with things for him.

John started fiddling with it, trying to take it apart. Jack turned to John, asking the standard "Whatcha got there, kiddo?" Sam leaned against the adjacent bed and watched as her son tried to explain it to his father with his limited vocabulary and standard "two year old speech impediment". They played with it together for several minutes, first getting it apart then trying to rebuild it.

Janet came over, interrupting the fun. "Alright, Colonel, we're just going to do a quick once over here so you all can get a hot meal and good night's rest for a change."

"I would kill for a steak or a burger. Or a beer!"

Janet chuckled. "No beer, and base food is a little less _American_ than it used to be, but the mess staff doesn't do half bad. Especially considering what they start with."

Sam reached to pick John up off the table, but Janet motioned her back. "He's fine," she said absent-mindedly as she stuck a thermometer in Jack's mouth.

John looked up from his toy to his father, and opened his mouth wide. "Me too," he said.

Janet laughed. "You need a check up too, Cadet O'Neill?" Janet asked with mock seriousness. John nodded. "Have you been spending time with less than reputable characters?" He nodded again. "Alright." She stuck a thermometer in his mouth as well.

Sam watched as Janet involved John in the routine check up, turning it into quite the experience for him. She had him inflate the blood pressure cuff, and listen to Jack's heart and lungs through the stethoscope. Sometimes Sam couldn't get over how darn cute her son was. He was always so amazed by everything around him. He had a wonderful disposition, no doubt due to the fact that he was the only child in this group and therefore everyone loved him and spoiled him beyond all reasoning.

Sure, there were several other couples now. After two years of being the last of a civilization, people were starting to recover from their losses and look forward to the future, but John was still the only child, and would be for some time.

She couldn't have been more pleased how well he and Jack were interacting. It was almost like Jack had never been gone.

After a few minutes of being idle, John got bored and fidgety again. Sam picked him up and kissed his cheek. "Mama," he whined.

"You're hungry, aren't you?" she asked in an understanding voice.

"Yeah," he whined again.

"I know, we're starting dinner late."

He whined a response and hugged her tighter, hiding his face.

"Sam, we're almost done here," Janet said. "Why don't you to head over the mess and I'll bring these three when we're done."

"Hear that?" Sam asked, twisting her body so she could see John's face. "Do you want to go get dinner now and Daddy, Daniel, Teal'c and Doc will join us soon?"

He nodded, still looking more than a little depressed.

"Say 'good bye.'"

John waved to them all, waving more to Jack, it seemed. "Bye Daddy."

Jack waved back with an innocent smile on his face. "Bye."

Sam and John headed over to the mess. Leaving him on her hip, she got a tray and some food for the both of them. Some fruit - home grown- the closest thing you could get to a barbeque pulled chicken sandwich as you could get without chicken or barbeque sauce, some home grown vegetables that were so like green beans even the botanists couldn't tell the difference, and a glass of juice for each of them.

She sat down at one of the tables and settled John in her lap. He immediately started towards one of the pieces of fruit. Sam cut him a small piece of sandwich for when he was done with his fruit.

He picked at his fruit a bit before moving on to his sandwich.

Just after they sat down, Janet came in followed by the rest of her team. Sam smiled and pointed at them, "Look."

John smiled and waved. "Daddy!"

Jack waved back with that same innocent smile on his face.

Sam had never seen him like this; Jack, happy. It was something about they way he looked at their son.

They all joined her with a tray of food of their own, Daniel's and Teal'c piled particularly high. Usually they had rations, but the mess staff was wise to ignore that point in their case. Jack sat down next to her, on the side John was sitting on. Daniel, his eye again covered by some bandages, took a large bite of his sandwich. "This is delicious," he said with a full mouth.

All three men ate a lot and quickly. It was obviously the first good meal they had all had in a while. Finally, taking a brake from his feast, Teal'c spoke. "Samantha Carter, what is the name of your son?"

Sam was taken back by the question. Jack didn't even know the name of his son yet. "John; short for Jonathan," she glanced at Jack with a soft smile.

Janet chuckled. "Several of the Marines just call him 'Little Jack.'"

"Me!" John piped up.

Everyone at the table shared a chuckle. Sam tickled him a little. "That's right, you."

"Done Mama," he said, up turning his hands to her.

"Alright. You can play, but don't go outside."

He responded with an okay before he toddled around the floor, and away from her. He wandered towards a group of airman, sitting and laughing on the other side of the mess hall. One of them picked him up and started to play with him.

Sam smiled before turning back to the rest of the table. "Story time?"

"Sam, I think you should start," Daniel offered.

"I guess I could tell you about how we've been developing our own culture here. How we've set up trade with numerous planets, started farming for ourselves as well as being a sort of private security firm to raise some revenue. We've replaced most of our tents with buildings, but right now we're focusing on irrigation and farming equipment for the crops. We've mined the stargate with de-activatable pressure mines in lieu on an iris. I could tell you a lot of things, but I'm sure that's not what you care about.

Sam glanced back at her son, her tone turning soft. "What can I say? Jack left the day after Goa'uld destroyed Earth. Eight months later, a little early, our son was born. And he is . . . smart, and curious, and fun, and happy, and he loves to giggle and play with anyone who can give him a minute, and he's everything to me."

Jack gently took her hand and squeezed it tight.

"He's sweet; a good lookin' kid, Sam," Daniel said with a soft smile. "Jack," he added almost as an afterthought.

"The child is most endearing," Teal'c added.

"Yeah, he's my baby." She squeezed Jack's hand. "Our baby." After a moment or two, Sam cleared her throat. "Daniel? Your turn."

He began his tale with he and Teal'c getting captured by Cronos. They were traded around for some time before having a pair of Tauri was simply a novelty. Due to the tastes of the Goa'uld, it was little less than a year after the planet was destroyed. After all, what good were famous warriors if their planet had already been destroyed? They had quickly been sold into slavery and changed hands a handful of times over a few months.

Teal'c took over the story for a moment. He had been sold to a man who ran a ring of death matches. The scar on his forehead was from one challenging opponent who had gotten quite close to taking Teal'c's life. However, his symbiote had prevented the wound from festering and threatening his life further. All the while he was fighting, he attempted to find Daniel, with little success. He wasn't even sure if they were on the same planet - which, in the end, it turned out that they weren't.

So he fought, attempting to earn freedom, or escape. He was paid a small wage, which most of the fighters spent of alcohol and women, but Teal'c frugally saved, in hopes that he could buy his freedom.

Daniel resumed. He had been enslaved to a land owner, as not quite a field hand, not quite a house servant. The mistress of the house enjoyed beating him. Once she got a little carried away and hit him across the face with a hot iron fire poker. It had caught his eye and festered. He had been sick with a fever for some time. Thankfully - though it didn't seem so at the time - it had healed, but left him blinded in that eye.

Jack took over the story with his long and arduous tale of searching. He had been all over the galaxy, at least twice, he claimed. He had stayed put for only as long as he had to, long enough to earn enough money or get enough information to move on. He had been a bar tender in a grimy trader and smuggler post for the better part of six months when he got a lead.

He finally found Teal'c and, between the two of them, they were able to buy his freedom. Then, they tried to find Daniel. Another three months of bar tending led to another clue and a long hunt until they finally found him. Showing up with weapons, they took him by force and made an escape.

For two days they traveled around, going through multiple stargates to multiple places, creating false leads where ever they could or had to. They knew they didn't want anyone following them back to camp . . . New Earth? . . . What were they calling this planet? After about a hour's rest, about as much as any of them could stand, they stepped through the stargate to what would become home.

About halfway through their story, personnel started coming in, hearing that SG-1 had finally returned. They all pulled up chairs and listened intently, many of them with dinner, or the remarkably sweet tea they had learned to brew. John wandered back over and crawled into Jack's lap, dozing lightly against his chest.

"Well, Sir," Major Tomlin, who had joined them in the middle of the story, said. "I think I speak for all of us when I say 'welcome home.'"

Jack rubbed John's back absent mindedly. "It's good to be home."

Noticing John was almost completely asleep, Sam stood. "I think it's time we all get some good sleep, don't you?"

Daniel's face lit up like a kid in a candy store. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."

"Let's go find Master Sergeant Gray, she can get you guys some clean clothes, toiletries, and linens," Janet said, standing as well.

"Come on, Little Man," Jack said to John, standing.

"No. Big," John said, almost too tired to keep his eyes open.

"Big?" Jack repeated.

"Big," John insisted, his head starting to bob from exhaustion.

"Alright, Big Man," Jack chuckled, "let's go."

The small crowd that had gathered broke up and Janet led Daniel and Teal'c out, Sam and Jack bringing up the rear. Master Sergeant Gray had already gotten things together for them, having heard of their arrival.

"You can either sleep in the barracks, or a tent to yourself. You can decide," she told them.

"Barracks," Teal'c and Daniel replied in unison, no doubt wanting to sleep in a warm, heated, dry building for once in a long time.

The Master Sergeant laughed. "Okay, then." She handed them both a small stack which included a towel, a pair of BDUs, linens, and a tooth brush. She handed a similar stack to Sam for Jack.

"Where'd you get this stuff? They don't exactly have a Public Exchange around here?" Jack asked.

Master Sergeant Gray laughed. "You'd be surprised to see some of the things we brought with us. You know we emptied out most of the base. Some items of note include 45 pounds of red skinned potatoes, which we promptly planted and continue to do well for us, 38 gallons of chocolate ice cream, which unfortunately is gone, six gross of boot socks, that was an overstock issue, and six pounds of paper clips, I really can't explain that one."

Jack nodded slowly. "I'd like to look at that supply list sometime," he said.

Gray smiled. "We tallied everything everyone had. Doctor Jackson, you'd be surprised the amount of literature we saved, on everyone's hard copies and e-readers. The list makes for good reading."

Everyone shared a chuckle and left. They paused right outside the building.

"How about we drop John off in bed and Janet can show you guys the barracks and the showers," Sam suggested.

"Ah! Showers!" Daniel released a groan. "Like real indoor plumbing?"

Janet chuckled. "Yes, Daniel, it's like it's the future."

They walked to Sam's tent where Sam and Jack switched his supplies for their son and she went inside, leaving Janet to take care of them.

- . -

A shower and a shave felt great. Jack kept running his hand along his jaw. Razors were a wonderful thing. Shaving with a straight blade wasn't too bad, after he learned not to cut himself on that little patch of skin behind his jaw, but there was a reason the safety razor had been invented. And soap. God bless the invention of soap. And clean clothes. Clean Earth clothes. New boots. Oh, it all felt wonderful. He felt like a human being again.

Teal'c had been in and out, shaving his face, putting on his new clothes and heading off directly to bed.

Daniel was lingering in the shower, enjoying the hot water. Janet had told them they were on water rations, though not strict, but told them to take as much time as they wanted. Jack called Daniel's name a minute ago, just to make sure he hadn't fallen asleep. He responded and said he was almost done, so Jack bid him goodnight and headed off to Sam's tent.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, a real live wooden double bed (quite the upgrade from what they'd last shared together) staring at her feet.

He swallowed hard as he tied the tent shut behind him. She was wearing a pair of little teeny tiny shorts and a skivvy shirt. Apparently that's what she slept in. "Yowza" was probably the proper response, but he said nothing. He glanced towards the side of the tent curtained off. "He asleep?" He dropped his blouse on a chair and ran his fingers through his hair.

She nodded. "He was pretty out of it before we left the mess hall. He was practically asleep before we got his pajamas all the way on," she answered with a soft smile. Sam swung her feet around and wiggled underneath the covers.

"Feetie jamies?" he asked. For a brief second, an image of Charlie in a footed jumpsuit with airplanes on it cross his mind.

Sam laughed and shook her head. "Not quite, but he likes them."

He sat down on the other side of the bed and removed his boots and socks. He then stood up and shucked off his pants, leaving his boxers and skivvy shirt. Turning off the light, he slid into bed next to her. The bottom sheet was more like flannel than the cotton he was expecting and there was no top sheet, just a fleece blanket under a wool one. A standard scratchier-than-scratchy military issue wool blanket.

"Cold, Carter?" he asked.

She smiled softly through the darkness. "It gets cold at night this time of year."

"Oh." He laid back and took a deep breath. They lay there for a moment or two, in an almost comfortable silence. "Sam," he began.

"Don't." She propped herself up on one elbow and leaned over him. "Don't apologize."

"I should say _something_," he countered.

She was quiet for a moment, almost as if she was afraid to voice her next statement. "Say that you want us."

He closed his eyes. He had been gone for so long, and when he had left it wasn't as if they were had entered into some kind of permanent relationship - though he knew they _would_ have. Now they had a kid. He wasn't at all surprised that she was a little needy.

"I want you," he said softly, but firmly, "both of you."

He saw her smile, and she rested her head on his chest. "That's exactly what I needed to hear." Jack wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"I love you," he said, not allowing her to stop him like she did the first and last time they had slept together.

"I love you, too" she responded, squeezing him ever so slightly.

He was sure he had fallen asleep, because he was sure the sound woke him. Jack lay silently, listening, holding Sam to his chest. He heard it again. It was John, he was restless. Sliding out from under Sam, he bit back a curse from the cold. She wasn't exaggerating about it getting cold at night. He slid his pants on and found his son, ready to wake up in tears.

Jack crouched down, "Hey, kiddo."

John looked up at him with big, tear-filled eyes. Brown eyes, he noticed, like him.

Jack scooped him up. "None of that," he said gently, "we don't want to wake up Mom, do we?"

John shook his head. He gripped Jack's shirt with one hand and stuck his other thumb in his mouth. Jack pulled John's fleece blanket off his bed and wrapped it around both their shoulders and stepped outside, hoping not to wake Sam.

"What's the matter?" Jack asked.

"Scary," the little boy muttered without taking his thumb from his mouth.

"You had a scary dream?"

John nodded.

Jack rubbed his back a little, looking around the darkened camp. He could see a few people on patrol, but it was otherwise quiet. "Yeah, I have those sometimes, too."

John looked at him with an expression that said _really?_

He nodded. "Yep. Do you know what I do when I have scary dreams?" John shook his head. "I remember that they're not real, and they can't hurt me. But I usually still feel bad. So, to make myself feel better, I think of you and your mom."

Okay, so that was a lie. He had always thought of Charlie - and Sam in recent years - but now that he knew about his second son, he would think about him after nightmares.

"So when you have a scary dream, you can remember that it's not real and it can't hurt you. And you can think about me and Mom, and how we will always be here to protect you from anything."

"Always?" John asked.

Jack smiled and kissed his forehead. "Always."

John dropped his thumb from his mouth and threw both arms around Jack's neck, holding him tight. Jack hugged his son tight. "How about we get some sleep?" Jack suggested.

"Yeah," John answered.

He carried his son back into their little tent as quietly as he could and tucked him in tightly. He kissed his forehead. "Goodnight, Son," he whispered.

"Goodnight, Daddy," John said in the closest thing to a whisper he could manage.

Jack ruffled his hair a little and turned back to the rest of the room. He shucked off his pants again and climbed back in next to Sam. She had kept the bed nice and warm.

"Everything okay?" she mumbled as he pulled her back to his chest.

"Bad dream, he's fine. Asleep."

She didn't answer, having already fallen back asleep.

It was then Jack realized, after Sam fell back asleep without a second thought, that for the first time in a very long time, he had a family, and he loved it.

- . - FIN - . -


End file.
